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Leg Post 76
Leg Post 76 has Britticus Fay return to Delphi at the behest of Sibyl, the Oracle of Delphi. She insists he make her some ice cream, which he grows irritated by, thinking he had summoned him to Delphi just for ice cream. She actually invited him on behalf of two mysterious women. Instantly Britt wants to leave, so as to avoid yet another impending adventure that he senses coming. He is persuaded to see the twins because they do not follow the cliché of beautiful twins and are actually old women. When he meets them, however, they do ask a quest of him, which almost drove him away again. Again he almost leaves when they reveal that they are daughters of Highemperor, named Silvryn and Sepphorah. They explain that they are travelling to gather stories from across the NeSiverse. They find that planets closer and closer to their star are always more interesting than civilisations further out - so the history of Mars is more interesting than the history of Jupiter. Now they wish to hear the history of Earth from Britt's unique perspective, hoping it will be even more interesting than Martian history. Britt is surprised to be in a relaxing post and is happy to help. Post NEITHER PEASANTS NOR PRINCESSES Ancient Greece. Britticus arrives at Delphi, and is enthusiastically greeted by its oracle, Sibyl. Sibyl: Britt! You're here! Quick, make me some ice cream. Britt scowls. Britt: You said this wasn't about ice cream this time! Sibyl: It's not! But while you're here, you might as well make me some ice cream too! Britt sighs longsufferingly. Britt: Fine. After this other business. So what's up? Sibyl: There are these twin women here- Britt: Whoa. Hold up. Stop right there. I am not going to meet them. I'm leaving right now. Sibyl: What? Why? Britt: You're the oracle, you tell me. Sibyl: I'm an oracle, not a mind-reader! Britt: Beautiful twin women are nothing but trouble. Sibyl blinks. Sibyl: They're not, in the classic sense of the word anyway, beautiful. It is Britt's turn to blink. Britt: What? But twins are always hot! Sibyl: Not these. Come on. She yanks Britt along by the hand into one of the gardens. Two figures in robes are sitting on separate marble benches facing each other. The robes are well-made but imple, pure black in color, and adorned with all sorts of mystic ornaments. No fine artifacts these, but things such as intricately carved skulls, dice marked with runes, and ther such things, all dangling on beads from various pockets. Hoods cover the figures' faces, but long strands of loose hair fall out, revealing lustrous silver. One figure's hair also has a few streaks of lavender, and the other's has a ew streaks of aquamarine. Tarot cards hover in mid-air between them, as if on an invisible table, and the figures manipulate the cards with lined, wrinkled hands. Britt: Oh. They're old. Sibyl: Come say hello. Britt: I know better than to interrupt any kind of spell or divination. Sibyl: Don't be silly, they're just playing double solitaire. At that moment, the two robed women wave their hands over the floating tarot cards, and the cards fly up into two separate decks, before disappearing up voluminous sleeves. The women stand and turn to face Britt and Sibyl, lowering their hoods. Their faces are wrinkled with age, though they are not decrepit. In addition to each having differently colored streaks in her silver hair, their eyes are different as well. One has glistening pearlescent irises, while the other has solid blue eyes with no pupils or whites. Other than coloration, they are identical in appearance. Sibyl: Meet Silvryn- The one with lavender streaks and blue eyes. Sibyl: -and Sepphorah! The one with aquamarine streaks and pearlescent eyes. Britt: Um, pleased to meet you. Sepphorah: As we are to meet you, Legendary Britticus. Britt groans and looks at Sibyl. Britt: You told them about me? Silvryn: She did not. We knew of you from our own sources. Britt: This better not involve a quest. Sepphorah: It does. Britt groans. Britt: Alright, that's it, I'm outta here. Not gonna stay long enough for you to convince me otherwise. Toodles! Silvryn: The quest is ours, not yours. Britt: Oh. Well that's alright then. Sibyl: They're gonna rope you in on it. Britt: I knew it! The ghost of a smile tugs at the twins' lips. Sepphorah: She is teasing you, Legendary Britticus. We only wish to talk with you. Silvryn: For you see, our quest at the moment is to chronicle as much of Earth's history as we can. Sepphorah: And you have a unique perspective. Britt: What, that's it? No one to rescue? Nothing to slay? I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm a tiny bit disappointed. Sibyl: If you want something like that, I can always divine up something- Britt: Never mind! Moment passed. But uh, ladies, you should know I generally try to avoid spoilers. Silvryn: We are not natives of Earth. Britt does a double take. Britt: You look pretty human to me. Sepphorah: Humans are common throughout the Deep Void. Britt: The what? Silvryn: Our mother was near-human. Our father was human. Sepphorah: You knew him, once. Britt: I've known a lot of people once, that doesn't tell me anything- Silvryn: Highemperor. Britt: Bollocks. I'm leaving. Sibyl: What? Don't be rude! Britt: I know better than to mess with anything related to Highemp. He's trouble. Well-intentioned sometimes maybe, but trouble. Sepphorah: Legendary Britticus. Look at us. Britt complies, his gaze riveted by the iron in her tone. Silvryn: We are no blushing damsels, no spoiled princesses. Sepphorah: Are we the sort you expect to be associated with our father? Britt lets out a breath. Britt: Honestly, no. Twins maybe, but old? Without sparkly magic jewelry and dresses worth more than the planet? Silvryn: We love our father dearly, but we do not always see eye to eye with him. And our mother, despite going her own way and developing her own faults and obsessions, was once more grounded, back when she raised us. She was a simple peasant girl, of a faraway universe. Sepphorah: We left her shortly after reaching adulthood, to find our own path. Yes, we have lived a time in his city, but that was not what we wanted, glorious and luxurious though it was. Britt: You wanted to see things. And you wanted to make a difference once in a while. The old women nod. Britt: Are you powerplayers? The twins chuckle. Silvryn: We are not, though we have the latent potential for it due to our heritage. We are not without skills, however. Sepphorah: Martial arts, ritual magic, and advanced technology are our tools as we wander and chronicle histories throughout the multiverse. Britt: You don't look like you have advanced technology. And you frankly don't seem capable of martial arts without breaking a hip- Ow! Sibyl: Stop being rude! The oracle is looking crossly at him, after having elbowed him. Britt: But they- Ow, ow, ow, stop it! I didn't even say anything that time! Sibyl: But you were going to. Oracle, remember? Silvryn: We are rather more capable than we look. But we shape our magic and technology into crude forms, just as we dress simply and wear wrinkles. Once we were courted, but only by those who desired beauty, power, or importance. But we saw what happened to our parents, whose love was founded on those things. Britt nods. Britt: I understand. And I respect that. And if I may say so...I think you two are very beautiful, in the right ways. The twins smile, pleased at the compliment. Sibyl chortles. Sibyl: Should I be jealous, Britt? Britt: What? No! I'm not interested in them like that! Sibyl: I know. Oracle, remember? Britt: Ugh. Sepphorah: We have so many questions. But we would like to hear your perspective uninterrupted, first. Silvryn: I can't wait to hear it! The history of every planet in this solar system gets more interesting the closer to the sun it is, for some reason. Sepphorah: You wouldn't believe that Uranus- Britt snickers. Sepphorah: -has a history more interesting than Pluto the Party Planet's, or that Mars has a more interesting history than Jupiter of all places, but there you have it. Silvryn: Salmitton history is a true humdinger! I wonder how Earth's history will top it. Assuming the pattern continues. Sibyl: Wait. If we're about to have this long, in-depth thing, I really need Britt to make ice cream first! Silvryn: Ice cream? I'd be interested as well. Sepphorah: That's one of the things I do miss from Daddy's palace. 24/7 access to the ice cream universe. Britt opens his mouth in astonishment at the idea of a whole universe of ice cream, but then closes it and decides his sanity would be best served by not inquiring further into the matter. Britt: Uh, sure, I guess I can make ice cream for all of us! Silvryn: That is very kind, Legendary Britticus, but we do not ask you to make it for us. Sepphorah: Teach us how to make it alongside you! We are no damsels to be waited upon. Sibyl: Well, I don't mind being waited on! Shortly, Britt and the twins are making ice cream as Sibyl lounges in a seat sipping lemonade. Britt muses to himself. Britt: I can't believe I was written into a relaxing post for once... Notes Britt's Commentary "Given that Leg Post 73 was supposed to be the last time Britt met Sibyl, it is probable that this post happened before the events between Leg Post 70-Leg Post 73." ~ Britt the Writer Category:Post Category:Leg Post